Next Level Soul Podcast with Alex Ferrari

Episode: FLASHBACK FRIDAYS: After Studying 2500+ NDEs Researcher REVEALS Truth of WHY We Are HERE!
Guest: Lynn K. Russell
Date: January 9, 2026

Episode Overview

Alex Ferrari welcomes Lynn K. Russell, a renowned near-death experience (NDE) researcher who has studied over 2,500 NDEs, to discuss the profound insights these experiences offer about consciousness, spirituality, reincarnation, and the true purpose of life. Together they explore common themes, the structure of NDEs, their impacts on individuals and society, and what they reveal about the nature of the soul, death, and our connection to Source.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Lynn’s Path Into NDE Research

• Personal Motivation:
  • Lynn shares her upbringing in an atheist family and her early fear of death as the main motivators for her exploration into spirituality (04:41).
  • She describes a lifetime search for truth, delving into religions and spirituality, before discovering the NDERF (Near Death Experience Research Foundation) and working with Dr. Jeffrey Long (05:40).

2. Lynn's Own Spiritually Transformative Experiences (STEs)

• Oneness and Connection:
  • Lynn recounts mystical, spontaneous experiences as a young mother—becoming one with a tree, perceiving the interconnectedness of life (07:33), and being surrounded by an overwhelming force of love (10:32).
  • These moments diminished her fear of death and set the stage for her research into NDEs.

“I was every kind of life form that I could think of. I was the bird in the tree. I was the bug that the bird was going to eat. I was everything…”
— Lynn K. Russell (08:29)

3. Common Themes in Near-Death Experiences

• Oneness and Creation:
  • Near-universal reports of becoming “one” with everything, a sense of interconnectedness, and the realization that all is consciousness (17:01, 17:58).
• Self-Generated Realities:
  • The nature of NDEs is shaped by the individual’s beliefs and expectations; cultural differences influence the specific details (17:01, 19:47).
  • Negative or “hellish” NDEs are typically self-created—people experience what they subconsciously believe they deserve, which can be changed or transcended (19:47).

“We are source, and we create this [life] experience from the point of view of being Source.”
— Lynn K. Russell (20:47)

4. The “Path” of an NDE: Core Stages

• Leaving the Body:
  • Many report a tunnel or movement towards a light, but this varies by culture (21:44).
• Meeting Guides & Loved Ones:
  • Most (approx. 90%) are greeted by deceased loved ones, spirit guides, or cultural deities to ease the transition (23:42).
• Confusion & Guidance:
  • The initial shock is often met by guides to help the soul decompress from the density of physical life (27:42, 28:21).
• Creation of the Afterlife Environment:
  • Individuals create their surroundings in the ethereal: cities, forests, or light, reflecting their expectations (29:44).
• Becoming the Light/Oneness:
  • Some dissolve into the light, losing sense of individuality and gaining universal knowledge—“becoming creators with the light” (31:43).
• Life Review:
  • Experiencers relive moments from their lives, feeling how their actions impacted others (37:31, 39:16).

5. The Life Review

• Purpose:
  • It isn’t about punishment; rather, it’s about understanding the ripple effects of one’s actions (39:16).
  • Self-judgment replaces external judgment—a manifestation of our inherent connection to Source.

“There is no judgment from outside… we are Source judging ourselves.”
— Lynn K. Russell (40:34)

6. Spirit Guides, Council of Elders, and Soul Planning

• Spirit Guides:
  • Guides help us both in life and after death, assisting in the life review and transition (42:16, 43:28).
• Pre-birth Planning & Free Will:
  • People choose key elements (family, challenges, cultural factors) before incarnating; however, not everything is predetermined; free will can change the path (44:32, 46:01).

“Everything isn’t written in stone … there is no time at the spirit level, so it doesn’t matter how long it takes us. The point is that we are going to accomplish that task…”
— Lynn K. Russell (46:04)

7. Aftereffects & Psychological Impact

• Adjustment after NDEs:

  • Many experiencers are reluctant to discuss their NDEs for years due to ridicule or disbelief (58:11).
  • Some have profound difficulties reintegrating, while others gain a sense of purpose and peace (58:59).

• Long-Term ‘Returns from Death’:

  • Lynn discusses rare cases of people reviving after many hours—even days—of being in the morgue, sometimes in rigor mortis (59:46 – 65:43).

8. NDEs and Modern Spirituality

• NDE narratives are helping people reexamine life’s purpose, the importance of love and oneness, and the illusion of religious divisions (66:11).

9. Lessons & Takeaways from NDEs

• Our Magnificence:
  • Lynn emphasizes our own inherent power, potential, and connection to Source.
• Forgiveness:
  • All is forgiven on the other side—issues dissolve and only love remains (67:42, 67:50).
• Life’s Purpose:
  • We exist to experience, to give back to Source through living, learning, and being (80:33).

“You are magnificent and you don’t know it… you really, really, really need to believe that…”
— Lynn K. Russell (66:53)

10. Other Life & Multidimensionality

• Past and “Future” Lives:
  • Time does not exist as we know it; all lives may be happening simultaneously (54:55).
• Non-Human & Other Planetary Experiences:
  • Some NDEs report memories or experiences as other life forms or on distant planets (70:11).

11. Overcoming Fear & Embracing Death

• No More Fear:
  • Lynn shares she no longer fears death and describes death as a beautiful return “home” (74:17, 75:22).
• For Those Facing Death:
  • Departed loved ones remain aware and connected, and “issues are gone”; death is a peaceful rest and transition (75:22).

12. The True Nature of God and Love

• Source as Consciousness and Love:
  • The essence of God is love and intelligence—a creative force, not a person or even a “light” but pure being (79:04, 80:03).
• Life’s Ultimate Aim:
  • To help Source know itself by experiencing and being (80:33).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “There's one soul, one entity, one being that is the consciousness of the universe and we are it.” (Lynn, 06:31)
• “We are magnificent. We can create and do anything we put our mind to do ... we are Source.” (Lynn, 20:47)
• “We create our own experience ... just like we create this life, we create our death experience.” (Lynn, 19:47)
• “I wasn't supposed to be suffering like I am or like I was. I was here to have fun. I was here to enjoy life and be.” (Lynn, 77:01, paraphrasing the story of Hafur)
• “All issues are forgiven... From their point of view, they love you more than you can ever imagine.” (Lynn, 67:50)
• “Be the love that we are, because that's our reality.” (Lynn, 80:27)

Important Segment Timestamps

• [04:41] Lynn's background and motivation
• [07:33] Early spiritually transformative experiences (on oneness)
• [17:01] Common NDE themes and self-generated realities
• [19:47] The “hellish” NDE and creation of experience
• [21:44] The path of an NDE—departing, meeting guides
• [29:44] Afterlife environments and becoming “the light”
• [37:31] The life review: structure and meaning
• [39:16] No external judgment in the afterlife
• [42:16] Spirit guides and soul planning
• [44:32] Soul plans, free will, and deviations
• [58:59] Aftereffects: Post-NDE adjustment
• [59:46] Long-dead NDE returns (in morgue/rigor mortis)
• [66:11] NDEs’ influence on modern spirituality
• [66:53] The message: Our inherent magnificence
• [67:50] Forgiveness and love in the afterlife
• [70:11] Experiences as other life forms or on other planets
• [74:17] Lynn’s own feelings about death now
• [75:22] Words of comfort for those facing death
• [77:01] Hafur's story and the purpose of life as “fun and joy”
• [79:04] God/Source defined as love, not a being

Additional Resources

• Lynn K. Russell’s Book:
  Beyond: The Next Step in Near Death Experience Research
• Website: lynnkrussell.com
• YouTube: Lynn K. Russell Channel
• NDE Research Foundation Database: NDERF.org

Final Message

Lynn’s research underscores the ultimate unity of all beings, our power as creators, and the centrality of love and forgiveness in both life and death. The afterlife is not to be feared—it's a return to our true home and a continued journey of soul growth.

“Believe in yourself. Trust yourself. Know that you are much, much more than you think you are and that you can do way more than you think you can do.”
— Lynn K. Russell (81:42)

For show notes and deeper resources, visit: nextlevelsoul.com/506